Plastic composition



Patented Sept. 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. BEEVE, OI GRANTWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ABSIGNOR 1'0 THE BARRETTCOH- I'ANY, A CORPORATION 01 NEW JERSEY.

PLASTIC comrosrrion.

Io Drawing.

This invention relates to bituminous com positions of variousconsistencies and rubbery character which may serve a variety ofpurposes such as paving and roofing com- 5 pounds, water-proof paintsand coatings, rubber compounds, floorings, etc. It deals particularlywith a means of producing such compositions from oil shale.

A well known characteristic of tar pitches,

" such as those obtained as residuals from the fractionaldistillation ofcoal tar and watergas tars, is their relatively high susceptibil- 1ty tochanges in temperature. In other words, a given itch may vary inconsistency from a britt e solid at freezing temperature to a viscousfluid at extremely high summer temperatures. Residual asphalts obtainedby the distillation of petroleum also possesses this characteristic to agreat extent, but with them, the susceptibility is materally reduced byblowing or passing a required'amount of air thru them at hightemperatures. Such treatment is, however, relatively ineifective on tarpitches on-account of the different properties of the hydrocarbonscontained in such. pitches as compared with those in petroleumresiduals.

For many purposes, it is desirable to have a bituminous material thatis, relatively, only slightly susceptible to temperature changes, inother words, a material that will show a relatively slight change inconsistency in passing thru the temperature range to which it will beexposed. A rubbery or elastic character is an additional desideratumwhich tar pitches do not possess in that a slab of the material whenbent or twisted will not of itself straightenout or recover its originalform.

I have discovered that compositions of matter possessing these desirablecharacteristics may be prepared by digestingoil shales with high boilingtar distlllates in a manner hereinafter described. These shales consistessentially of a mineral matter, usually argillaceous, and a combinationof hydrocarbons, commonly termed Kerogen, which latter upon heatin totem eratures whichdifier somewhat wit shales om different localities, isconverted into bitumen. If theheating of these shales is carried out ina retort, 1t is' the common practice to Application flled lanuary 24,1922. Serial No. 531,468.

carry the temperature beyond the point of holding the shale at or nearthe tem erature at which the Kerogen is converted to itumen while beingagitated with a high boiling tar distillate;

The following is given as a specific example illustrative ofmyinvention, altho it is understood that I may use a great variety ofoils and shales and that I may vary the proportions, time andtemperature of treatment to produce the desired product withoutdeparting from the spirit of my" invention.

' take approximately 1 part of a coal tar distillate, preferably thatportion recovered from coal tar after the. anthracene fraction has beenremoved, and 1 part of a Nevada oil shale having approximately 40%volatile matter (American Society for Testing Materials Standard MethodD2216). The shale is preferably crushed to a size that will pass a 10mesh sieve altho it is possible to accomplish my purpose with largersize particles. The materials in the above proportions are placed in ametal still or kettle provided with a mechanical stirrer or agitator anda condenser with a receiver for any small amount of distillate that maybe evolved, heated to a temperature of approximately 300 C. to 400 (3.,preferably about 310 C. to 320? C. and maintained at that temperaturefor 10 to 15'h011rs while being continually stirred. I have found thisoptimum temperature to vary with different shales. Some Colorado shalesfor instance, would require a temperature of 340350 C. for similarresults. ,At the end of this period, it will be found that the shale hasdecomposed as evidenced by the fact that the particles have lost theirshape that the mineral matter has gone into a state of very finedispersion with practically no evidence of grit, and that the bitumenformed has entered into combination with the oil. The product may berendered more homogeneous if desired by passing between rolls.

This product has a very low susceptibility blown asphalts as shown bythe following penetration tests (A. S. T. M. D5-20).

Penetration C., 200 gms, 1 min.)- 6.5 Penetration (25 C., 100gms.,5secs.) 44.0 Penetration (465 (1., 50 gms.,- 5 secs) 110.0

While soft and flexible at ordinary temperatures, I have been unable torender it liquid by heating it to a temperature of 500 in the regularcube in air test. (Jour. Ind. and Eng. Chem., Oct. 1918.) I know of noother products of either coal tar distillates or oil shales possessingthese characteristics.

Another characteristic of compounds prepared by my process is theirelasticity or resiliency as compared with coal tar pitches. The formerwhen bent or stretched tend to immediately assume their original shapewhich is a characteristic entirely absent from the latter.

Compositions of the character described may have a variety of uses. Theyhave the property of stron ly adhering to iron and when thinned withsolvent may be used as bituminous paints. Their relatively lowsusceptibility to temperature changes and strong adhesive qualities makethese compositions articularly adapted for uses where there wou d be atendency for other bituminous materials to flow. The same qualitiesrender the aforesaid com ositions particularly applicable as pavingJoint fillers of the pro-moulded type. They may be renderd fluid bymeans of a volatile solvent and then used as a saturant for fabrics. Inthis connection the may prove especially well adapted to abric beltsaturation Where (pliability at low temperatures and no flui ity atmoderately high temperatures is desirable.

In general the products find usefulness in all, fiields where bituminousmaterials are applicable, and the variations of proportions of shale andtar products, the temperature and time of digestion and the finalmelting point of the product are all within the skill of the chemistfamiliar with bituminous ma terials, depending on the purpose for whichthe final product is to be used.

I claim:

1. A new and useful composition of matter comprising coal tar oil andsubstantially all of the decomposition products of an oil shale in whichthe mineral matter of the oil shale is finely divided.

4.. The process-of manufacture of a prodnot containing bituminousmatter, which comprises heating oil shale in the presence of-coal taroil at a temperature at which the kerogen is decomposed withoutpermitting substantial distillation of the mixture.

5. The process of manufacture of a product containing bituminous matter,which comprises heating oil shale in-the presence of coal tar oil at atemperature .of approximately 310 to 320 C. for about to hours.

6. The process of manufacture of a product containing bituminous matter,which comprises heating oil shale in the presence of an equal part ofcoal tar oil at a temperature of about 315 C. for about 10 to 15 hours.-

7. The process of manufacture of a prodnot containing bituminous matter,which comprises heating oil shale in the presence of coal tar oil at atemperatureat which the kerogen of the oil shale is decomposed withoutpermitting substantial distillation of the mixture, said coal tar. oilhaving a boiling point above the boiling point of anthracene.

8. The product-ion of a bituminous composition, which comprisesdigesting oil shale with coal taroil at such a temperature thatdecomposition of said shale and the combination of its decompositionproducts with said oil occur simultaneously without permittingsubstantial distillation of the mixture.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES S. REEVE.

